Plastic bottles unsafe??

[Pandora]

Theres an eco/green shop in Prahran that sells BPA free bottles as well as a lot of chemicla free baby products I can find the info for you if you are interested.

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Can I ask why you need to buy bottles at all?
All you planning to not breastfeed?
Im not advocating that FF is bad (I have been since 9 months) but I do think that buying bottles before the inability to breastfeed is setting yourself up for failure.
You shouldn't microwave bottles anyway because it puts blackspots in the bottles...
Just a thought...

[Kailani]

Wow there is so much to learn! Ummm what is BPA?? And what is the risk of having it in plastic? Like what can it do to the baby???

Thanks so much for that info melbel! Can I be a pain and ask for the dummy list as well?

Cookie - I definitely want to BF but if I have to express or just in case I can't BF at all I thought I'd get some bottles...should I not bother and just wait and see?? lol this is all very new and I just wanted to be prepared! Speaking of expressing, I've heard that there are particular bottle teats that are meant to replicate the nipple, to avoid confusion for baby, might have to research those too??

Rayray, I am very interested in that shop! Prahran is really close to me

Gigi, I agree with you, I'm just so overwhelmed about what is safe/unsafe and everybody's differing "advice". I hate the "you should" comments! And yep, that's why I love BB - it makes this whole unknown process become a lot easier!

And thanks girls for the microwave tip...I didn't think anything of it, I would have put the bottles straight into the microwave! Well don't I feel so silly and unprepared I agree with you all to do what is best for me and bubs and ultimately that it's my choice. It's just a bit hard to make that choice with so many people doing different things and having strong opinions on everything

Shmickers, are the MAM bottles free of BPA and are they glass? lol I am starting to sound like a paranoid nut, but I can't help it now that I know this!

Eeeekkk!! Thanks so much lovelies, all this info is very helpful

ETA...Oh happy new year!!

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Holly, sorry for my abrupt post - I was drunk at the time I wrote it... LOL!

There are a few different bottles that are supposed to replicate the nipple.
I used the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature bottles but found that they are a little to flexible because baby can push the teat in on itself sometimes.
There are the Pigeon Peristaltic (I think that's what they are called) & AVENT do nipple ones too but I don't like the AVENT ones at all.
Then there are some the ABA recommend that are more expensive, but "ideal" for increased likelihood of maintaining a dual breast/bottle feed routine (IYKWIM).

Something else to considered is not giving a bottle when expressing starting with a sippy cup from very young or syringe feeding is better in terms of maintaining breastfeeding. My DS weaned completely off the breast once he learnt he could bite on his bottles instead of sucking, and now he won't suck at all.

Honestly I had so, so many bottles because noone in my family had breastfed so I was going to formula feed... and I never used them. I bought a sippy bottle when DS was 7 months old and that's all I have used. It's sort of a waste if you don't "need them" because they can be pricey. And whilst it is great to be prepared in case you are struggling with breastfeeding - it's probably better to put into an envelope (and hide in your undie drawer or something) what you would spend on bottles, sterilisers, breastpumps so you have it aside, IF and WHEN you need it. And add a little bit to it, because many early problems with BF can be assisted and helped by a Lactation Consultant.

The way i see it - if you have all the FF stuff prepped and ready to go the temptation is there and it is easy to give in and buy a tin. If you have an envelope full of cash, sure send hubby to get a ready made carton so bubs will go to sleep for the night... but spend the rest on an LC. Just the way I see it anyway, I hope I am making sense.

ETA: Check out downtoearthorganics dot com dot au. They have a whole range of BPA products on there. Medela products are BPA free, as are most Nuby products.

Oh, and also - I'm pretty sure the ABA actually recommends a standard teat - I did look but couldn't find the info, but FionaJill or BarbGlare would be the best help in that respect. They recommend the Medela breastpumps so I can only assume they would recommend the Medela bottles to go with it. I liked the closer to nature ones because they replicated the same kind of attachment, but breasts are all different so I can imagine some bottles would differ for each mum and baby... maybe another reason to wait until after baby comes?

[Gigi]

many plastics give off gases and carcinogens (thinks that cause cancer)
plastic is made out of petroleum

that's why some people are so keen on wooden, cloth and metal toys for kids, as opposed to plastic ones. to be safer.

that's why i put cloth nappies on my child, instead of disposables, i don't like what is in the ingredients. THere is a cup of petroleum used to make every disposable nappy. Nurture Nappies website has an article called "What is in a disposable" under their info section, across the top of their homepage. very interesting reading.

i just saw a site that has BPA free baby bottles, and thought of you
the site is called ECO CHILD
adn the section where the bottles are is on the menu, called
Green to Grow Baby Bottles ~ organic baby products



i think if you just GOOGLE "BPA free baby bottles", lots of refs would come up for you.

i've been looking in the baby aisle at woollies and coles for 2.5 years now, and there are not many products on the shelves, that i actually feel ok about buying.
When they start solids (after six months), the Rafferty's Garden tubes of purreed fruit and veg are very good.

For out and about, we use the Nature Babycare WIpes, the only brand at woollies/coles that DOESNT" contain propylene glycol (antifreeze!!!!). At home, we just use cloth facewashers and water, it cleans up a pooey bottom much better, efficiently than the baby wipes do, and you don't get poo on your hand AND my baby doesn't get a rash. The used ones get washed with the nappies.

so much to think about! it boggles my mind!
esp when people give you newborn gifts of stuff you KNOW is not safe. they mean well, but won't have done the type of research that you do for your own baby.

[Kailani]

lol cookie I didn't find it abrupt at all! You're right, I won't bother getting bottles beforehand and hopefully won't ever have to I wouldn't want bubs to get confused between bottle and boobie or prefer bottle over me and refuse to have boobie!!
Thanks for the website, will check it out now

Gigi - I already have my stash of MCN's! The toy thing might not be as easy to sacrifice though. I've been given sooo many already and to be honest it seems a little OTT to me (or maybe just overwhelming, as I'd never even thought about this before!) although I can definitely understand why people would not want plastic toys in their house after knowing how much crap is in some baby products - I can't believe antifreeze is in baby wipes I will mostly just be using cotton wool or cloth to wipe his bottom and I'll be checking out those wipes you mentioned for out and about. DP has eczema that can flare up really badly so nothing nasty is going on bubba's skin. Thanks so much for the brand names and the website, it really is a lot of help!

Off to do some research!

My DP thinks I've gone a bit loopy with all this baby stuff

[satya]

Just wanted to say that I wish I had got bottles beforehand. I never expected to have BFing problems so didn't bother buying any even though friends recommended it. The trip to buy bottles & formula on the way home from hossy was a very painful one indeed even though it was 5 days after giving birth.

I had to have bottles to express my milk as bub just couldn't attach (was sick and very drowsy from meds) & I had a very small supply so he had to have FF top ups as well from day 1. Had I not done that he would not have left hospital.

Most people who BF still use bottles for expressed milk so I can't see it would hurt to have just a couple at home ready to go. Wish I'd had them. It's not setting yourself up for failure, it's just being organised.

I don't microwave my bottles at all so am not concerned about BPA. My bub drinks formula at room temp & he learnt to do this from an early age.